Photography in Life #1

CUNY YORK

Alfredo Jeff

Digital Photography

March 20^th, 2013

Photography in Life #1

            I agree with Marvin Heiferman’s quote, “Today the more photography images we encounter and get to work with, the less certainty we have about the nature or possibility of photographic truth”.

When I grew up as a kid I would take photos with my father’s Canon T50 which is an automatic camera with a 50 mm lens. When I took photos I felt like a photographer. I didn’t do anything with my images to enhance the quality. I enjoyed film and how I could just get it developed and know that was my photo and it was original.

Marvin Heiferman says that, “we need, use, and respond to photographs in their myriad forms for all sorts of reasons”. When you look at a photograph in the 20^th century, as a photographer you have to wonder now if the photographer who took their photos used anything like Photoshop to enhance the image or change some natural qualities. We all respond to photography differently and may see something the next viewer sees differently from us.

An example of work would be from Jean Michel Basquait. In his paintings one person may just see street art or vandalism upon a wall. Viewers ask why it was done and wonder how it was thought. Jean Michel Basquiat’s paintings and drawings describes his ideas about life and the world around him. The Brooklyn Museum had an exhibit of his work eight years ago based on his life and work.

Marvin Heiferman also says that, “Photography excites us to the point that it makes us greedy to see more”. When I started to do the personal project my idea was to focus on identity and how paint and makeup transforms a person into someone totally different. I had finished recreating my piece on Jean Michel Basquiat’s painting of the 90’s recreating this African holding up his catch of fish for the day. I had to edit this in class with my professor and she showed me something that I wish I had more time. She transformed my photo.

She applied the background from the original painting that Jean Michel Basquiat created and placed it on top of my photo. I wanted to do more of this but had little time to do the rest of the photos but this made me see a totally different view of my photo.

Every day we are influenced by the little things in life and as photographers we try to capture those moments. We inspire others and give reason to our work. What we as photographers cannot do is to be completely satisfied with our work. There will forever be a hunger for more work.

Works Cited Page

"Collections." Street to Studio: The Art of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Presented by JPMorganChase. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.

Heiferman, Marvin. "Photography Changes Everything." Photography Changes Everything(n.d.): n. pag. Web.